Trisha Gopalakrishna (she/her/hers)

I am a Postdoctoral Research Fellow focusing on ecological resilience of savannas in Brazil and India for climate change action as part of Lucy Rowland's and Stephen Sitch's research groups. My current research focuses on proof of semantic and theoretical treatments of resilience theory using real world data in the form of remote sensing and geospatial information. The broad aim of my current research is to better understand how to tailor ecosystem restoration strategies and practises such that ecosystems not only mitigate climate change but also are resilient.

My doctoral research examined the opportunities and realities of forest restoration in India. I evaluated the area available for forest restoration having accounted for fine scale land uses and land covers, the consequences of forest restoration on non-forest ecosystems, specifically India’s forgotten savanna biome, and spatial prioritization of forest restoration area to deliver multiple societal and environmental benefits (climate change mitigation, biodiversity, reliance of people on forests for energy, livelihoods) and inequity in the distribution of benefits to mariginilized social groups in India.

Prior to my doctorate, I worked as an applied scientist in the global climate change program at an international environment non-profit called The Nature Conservancy in Washington D.C, quantifying the potential of forest systems and other “Natural Climate Solutions” to mitigate climate change. Specifically, I identified opportunities for reforestation and “climate smart” logging practices, globally and in key countries in the tropics. My scientific work at the Conservancy informed international and country specific climate related policies and on-the-ground conservation efforts.